5 Stephen King Shows Every Fan Should Watch Before ‘It: Welcome to Derry’ Next Episode Drops

This week is something both fans of the horror genre and Stephen King’s hit novel “It” have been waiting for, with the upcoming Halloween night bringing along one of the most anticipated TV shows of this year.

Coming as a prequel series to movies It and It Chapter Two starring Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise the Clown, It: Welcome to Derry has now officially launched the spooky season with the first season’s first episode premiering on HBO Max on Sunday.

The show, however, will follow the studio’s tradition by getting only one episode released every week, so there’s still some time left to see more of Stephen King’s TV adaptations before It: Welcome to Derry’s episode 2 intimidates us all even more on October 31.

The Outsider (2020)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, The Outsider holds scores of 91% and 82% from critics and audiences
• On IMDb, the show is rated 7.6/10

Hailed as one of Stephen King’s best TV adaptations in recent years, HBO’s The Outsider also remains one of the most underrated shows that have been overlooked since its second season was declined.

Based on King’s 2018 novel of the same name, the psychological thriller centres on an investigation that initially seems to be something to not waste time on, though with time gruesome details start emerging, revealing that supernatural forces might be involved.

When a young boy’s murder shakes the entire town, a local cop and pretty much everyone who he knows get to realise that they now have to question everything they have been sure about so far.

Chapelwaite (2021)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Chapelwaite keeps scores of 58% and 80% from critics and viewers
• On IMDb, the show rates 7.1/10

The horror miniseries with two-time Oscar winner Adrien Brody in the leading role is inspired by King’s short story “Jerusalem’s Lot” and was initially believed to get a longer life despite being a miniseries, though a second season never happened.

Chapelwaite, however, is worth visiting ahead of the Halloween night, especially if you’re getting to know Stephen King’s adaptations and don’t mind some pretty good jump-scares.

Set in the 1850s, the plot revolves around Captain Charles Boone who, alongside his kids, moves into his family’s old Maine estate and realises some evil forces might have possessed the building.

Adorned with gothic atmosphere and a pretty intimidating setting, Chapelwaite is a perfect option for those looking for something longer than a 2-hour movies for the Halloween night.

The Institute (2025 — )

• On Rotten Tomatoes, The Institute has scores of 64% and 71% from critics and audiences
• On IMDb, the show’s rating is 6.7/10

One of the latest additions to Stephen King’s adaptations list on par with It: Welcome to Derry, The Institute is a modern take on one of the author’s classic plots about children with psychic abilities.

Based on King’s 2019 novel of the same name, the show follows Luke Ellis, a teenager who wakes up while being locked up in a mysterious facility called The Institute alongside other children who have special abilities.

While trying to uncover the institute’s real motives, Luke teams up with other kids to get out of the building, the staff of which, as they figure, aims at using them as a source of power for their own, and pretty dark, motives.

11.22.63 (2016)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, 11.22.63 holds scores of 83% and 88% from critics and viewers
• On IMDb, the series is rated 8.1/10

Even though this drama miniseries might not be just as scary as It: Welcome to Derry, 11.22.63 might come as a great option for those looking for some historical background and “what if?” reflections in King’s novels.

Starring James Franco, the show follows Jake Epping, an ordinary high school teacher tasked with a mission to go back in time and prevent the assassination of then American President John F. Kennedy.

Fascinated by the mere existence of the real time machine, Jake is even more fascinated by the life he gets to lead in the 1960s, with time adjusting to the era’s norms and rules.

Soon, however, he realises that, once the mission is completed, there’s no way back to what he got used to, which also leads him to a thought that the past might not need to be changed at all.

Castle Rock (2018 — 2019)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Castle Rock has scores of 88% and 78% from critics and audiences
• On IMDb, the show rates 7.5/10

In case you can’t wait to see Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise the Clown in It: Welcome to Derry again, this horror drama might help you make it to the second episode’s release easier.

Having spawned two seasons that recount different stories from Stephen King’s best novels and short stories, Castle Rock stars Skarsgard in one of the leading roles in season 1, with the actor portraying “The Kid”, a prisoner at Shawshank State Penitentiary who turns out to have a direct connection to the entire instalment’s mystery.

The show’s second season serves as some kind of prequel to King’s "Misery", following Annie Wilkes during the time she was stuck in Castle Rock alongside her daughter.